France and Saudi Arabia
France and Saudi Arabia maintain a relationship combining energy, defense and diversification projects. Culture, training and infrastructure have broadened a previously more focused agenda.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A diversification agenda
The profile identifies rail transport, tourism, agriculture, health, energy and telecommunications among the sectors of interest.
Documented political contacts
The visits of 2021 and 2022 and consultations of 2023 are among the milestones recorded in the profile.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 9,426.36 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: France to Saudi Arabia | 5,019.39 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: Saudi Arabia to France | 4,406.97 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: France to Saudi Arabia | 0.73 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Export share: Saudi Arabia to France | ||
| Investment stock: France in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Investment stock: Saudi Arabia in France |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: France to Saudi Arabia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Saudi Arabia to France
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: France to Saudi Arabia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Year-on-year inflation: different periods or frequencies; the two figures are not directly comparable.
| Indicator | France | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB | 1.28 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 48,985.73 USD2025 · WB | 34,536.66 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.84 %2025 · WB | 4.5 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | 4.5 %2026-09-16 · SAMA |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 2.08 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee | 1.8 %Headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · SAMA / GASTAT |
| Unemployment | 7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.04 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -5.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 31.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.27 %2025 · WB | -2.56 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 68,720,3372025 · WB | 36,973,5552025 · WB |
| Area | 606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 2,149,690 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central BankSaudi Arabia: 2026-09-16 · Repo rate; not reverse repo (4.00%) · SAMA · Official central-bank decision; not a commercial lending rate or a bill yield.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.Saudi Arabia: 2026-08 · Year-on-year inflation; official SAMA / GASTAT indicator · SAMA / GASTAT · August 2026 indicator verified in SAMA's indexed version. The dynamic homepage does not expose the value in HTML without JavaScript; publication date unavailable. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Saudi Arabia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Saudi Arabia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Saudi Arabia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Population
- PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query. Extrapolated assuming the same growth rate as the previous year.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOSaudi Arabia: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
France to Saudi Arabia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,217.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 483 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 363.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 97.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 92.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 82.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 8.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
Saudi Arabia to France
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 4,088.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 122.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 4.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | France to Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia to France |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,376.5 | 3,281.1 | 4,095.4 |
| 2022 | 11,735.4 | 4,130.3 | 7,605.1 |
| 2023 | 10,337.6 | 4,402.6 | 5,934.9 |
| 2024 | 8,294.6 | 3,806.7 | 4,487.9 |
| 2025 | 9,426.4 | 5,019.4 | 4,407 |
Connections between people
Culture, training and professional contacts complement industrial projects and diplomatic cooperation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from France living in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Residents from Saudi Arabia living in France | ||
| Study and training: France in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Study and training: Saudi Arabia in France | ||
| Academic stays: France in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Academic stays: Saudi Arabia in France | ||
| Travel: France to Saudi Arabia | ||
| Travel: Saudi Arabia to France |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Strategic engagement
Leaders' visits and foreign ministry consultations sustain dialogue. Cooperation includes security and training, alongside contacts to develop economic and cultural projects. [1]
A diversification agenda
The profile identifies rail transport, tourism, agriculture, health, energy and telecommunications among the sectors of interest. Business prospects are distinguished from awarded contracts, implemented investment and actual deliveries. [1]
Training and culture
Cultural cooperation and capacity building complement economic relations. Security training is a specific instrument; it does not in itself represent a figure for military sales or a general defense obligation. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for France is 3,366.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 1,276.9 for Saudi Arabia (2025). The reference populations are 68.72 and 36.97 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of France was 2.64 times that of Saudi Arabia in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Documented political contacts
The visits of 2021 and 2022 and consultations of 2023 are among the milestones recorded in the profile. Historical trade figures retain their dates, while recent customs data show the activity actually recorded. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (France and Saudi Arabia) totalled 9,426.4 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 5,019.4 million; those in the opposite direction, 4,407 million. The difference between the two flows was 612.4 million, in favour of France. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from France to the partner represented 0.73% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 7,376.5 million USD in 2021 and 9,426.4 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +27.8 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 11,735.4 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from France to Saudi Arabia, at 1,217.5 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Saudi Arabia to France, at 4,088.4 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations: FRA–SAU
France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,392,36,124,484,32,152,170,528,56,756,752,579,208,300,792,682,634,400,422,710,404
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.